


It Takes a Kingdom

by ahgasemyname



Category: GOT7, JJ Project
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Emperor Reversed, Enemies to Lovers, Got7 Tarot Fest, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-08-09
Updated: 2019-08-09
Packaged: 2020-08-11 03:08:42
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 17,526
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20146603
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ahgasemyname/pseuds/ahgasemyname
Summary: Park Jinyoung is the tyrant king of a wealthy kingdom. Lim Jaebeom is the selfless prince of their long-standing rival, whom has offered himself up as tribute to stop a war that has ravaged both of their kingdoms for the last twenty years. After giving up everything he loves in order to preserve his kingdom and it's people will Jaebeom regret his decision to marry the tyrant king?





	It Takes a Kingdom

A heavy sigh sounded from the throne as Jinyoung stared out over the court before him, dark orbs wandering from courtesan candidate to courtesan candidate and finding none to his liking. His eyes glazed over as they introduced themselves one by one, completely disinterested in their names or ranks. They were here to be bed by the king, not to be taken seriously by the likes of him. He would never understand why his advisors felt it necessary to bring him what they considered to be the “finest women” in their kingdom and have them spew some nonsense about why they should be preferred over the others. As long as they were pleasing to the eye and obedient he really didn’t care to know where they came from or what their merits were. He had no interest in reproducing with any of the women they brought to him, though it was his “duty” as king to produce an heir. He fully intended to keep the throne as long as he was alive and the kingdom be damned when he passed.

“You know, you could just bed your fiancé instead of bore yourself with all of these women that you’re clearly disinterested in.”

The rough voice of said fiancé pulled Jinyoung out of his daze and he turned his head just enough to glance at Jaebeom out of the corner of his eye. He scowled at the man, eyes rolling back in his head at the mere notion of it and he crossed his arms over his chest. 

“And why pray tell would I do that? You’re only here for show anyway. Just like the rest of them. I have no interest in you. I thought that was made perfectly clear the day you arrived.”

Jinyoung spat, upper lip twitching when Jaebeom laughed in response. It irritated him to no end that the man took nothing he said seriously, often blowing off his attempts at being cruel or disengaging him with an amused chuckle.

“Yeah, yeah. I know. Poor King Jinyoung thrown into an arranged marriage with the prince of their longest-standing rival country in order to stop a war that has raged on for twenty years and damn near ravaged all of the commoner’s living quarters. What a tragedy. Do you honestly not care about your people at all, you spoilt brat?”

Jaebeom had tried reasoning with Jinyoung on a daily basis since he had arrived some months ago, but to no avail. Jinyoung was as callous and cruel as the rumours stated, giving little to no thought to burning down an entire village as long as it gained him even the smallest bit of wealth. He had numerous women at his disposal, none of which seemed to meet his high standards and were often discarded after a night or two of fulfilling their duties in the King’s bed.

Jaebeom could never be so heartless. He loved his people and had offered himself up as tribute to end the war that had ransacked much of his people’s homes and land when he was finally deemed old enough to be allowed a voice in the throne room. He had often snuck out as a child to play with the children who lived in their kingdom and had become the best of friends with a tailor’s son, Youngjae. How he missed Youngjae now that he had been stuck living with Jinyoung all this time. Winter months had arrived and the flights between their kingdoms had become far too dangerous for Jaebeom to travel to see his dearest friend. Not that Jinyoung would allow him to leave anyway. Despite his disinterest in Jaebeom, Jinyoung still treated him as though he were his property and his alone. Jaebeom had found that even the slightest mention of his dearest friend would send the king into a childish fit. He would often find him slamming his mug of coffee onto the tabletop when he would reminisce about the many mishaps that he and Youngjae would get into try to cook breakfast at Youngjae’s house during their own first meal of the day. Jaebeom smiled dopily at the thought of Youngjae and was quickly pulled out of his reverie by the sound of Jinyoung’s voice.

“Of course I care.” 

Jinyoung sounded far from sincere, his eyes never leaving the woman who currently stood at the foot of the throne as she introduced herself as the eldest daughter of one of the wealthiest families in the kingdom.

“Do you?”

Jaebeom countered, smiling and nodding as the woman glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. He smirked when she flushed, her cheeks tinged pink and she quickly turned her attention back to Jinyoung who hummed lowly.

“This one.”

Jinyoung stated, ignoring the fact that Jaebeom had responded to him, but taking mental note of the way the woman seemed to become flustered at his attention.

“I’ll take this one. Tonight. Please take her to my chambers.”

Jinyoung added, signaling for one of his servants to lead the woman away to prepare her to spend the night with him. He waved his hand idly as they bowed and left his sight, ushering the rest of the women and their escorts out of the room. He had chosen his woman for the night and the rest of them would just have to wait in anticipation for their turn, if it even came. Jinyoung was fickle and often kept his women for less than a week before sending for another and wishing the last well on her way out.

“I see that you do have some taste. I thought for sure you were just going to choose another random one this week.”

Jaebeom’s voice was light and amused, a wide grin on his lips as he took in the way Jinyoung’s form went rigid at his teasing.

“Better than doting on someone I can’t even see.”

Jinyoung muttered, causing the smile to fall from Jaebeom’s lips.

“What did you say?”

“You heard me. It’s pathetic. The way you dote on that boy. You haven’t seen him since the day you left your own kingdom. He hasn’t called or written to you even once in four months, Jaebeom. What makes you think he even cares about you at all?”

Jinyoung snapped, his voice full of venom and his eyes dark as he turned to face Jaebeom. Instead of the hurt look he expected, he found himself met with the trademark smirk he had come to loathe. He refused to back down, however, hiding his dismay at Jaebeom’s usual unaffected demeanor.

“What? Do you think your desperate little crush is cute or something?”

Jaebeom laughed at this, the sound bouncing off of the walls as he laughed with his whole chest, his eyes slitted and his mouth open wide. His pearly white teeth were visible as he chuckled again, his head shaking as he tapped a folded sheet of paper against Jinyoung’s forearm. 

Jinyoung glanced down at the sheet of paper. His brows furrowed as he shifted to take it from Jaebeom, curiosity getting the better of him. He scowled at the white sheet of paper as he unfolded it, the contents less than satisfying as he read the words on the page. He flung his arm to the side, slapping the piece of paper against Jaebeom’s chest and scoffing as he stood to leave, dark eyes full of wrath.

“Come to my room tonight. 9 O’clock sharp. Don’t be late.”

Jinyoung spat before turning on his heel and leaving a highly entertained Jaebeom behind. 

“Yes, your highness.”

Jaebeom snorted as Jinyoung visibly flinched on his way out, his steps faltering before he continued out of the throne room. He rolled his eyes and sank back into his throne, carefully picking up the discarded sheet of paper and smiling fondly as he read the neat handwriting for the fifth tie that day.

“Dear Jaebeomie,

I hope that my letter finds you well. I’m sorry that it took me some time to write this letter to you as it has been hectic here in the capital since you left. Your mother has been stopping in frequently, bringing sweets for myself and Mark; as well as treats for Coco. I think she misses you even more than I do, which is hard to believe. Father has been extremely busy as of late with the upcoming end of war celebration and we’ve had little to no time to rest. You really made a change, Jaebeomie. Everyone is doing quite well now that the soldiers have pulled out of our lands and rebuilding is going smoothly. It’s all thanks to your noble sacrifice. 

How is he, by the way? That tyrant king. Is he as bad as people have said he is? I hope he is treating you well. Speaking of such, I have some news that I wanted to share with you, but I would rather do it in person. I will be traveling in my father’s stead to purchase some fine cloth that can only be found in Jinyoung’s kingdom and will be arriving in three days time. I hope to see you in that time and I wish you well, my friend. Don’t hesitate to write or call if you need anything. I haven’t tried calling because I don’t know if your evil fiancé is monitoring your calls. I wouldn’t put it past him.

Lots of Love,

Youngjae”

Jaebeom’s chest swelled with warmth, his eyes brimming with tears as he recalled the last time he saw Youngjae. He was the brother that Jaebeom never had and he loved him with his whole heart. He could barely contain his excitement as he folded the letter and stuffed it into his jacket pocket. He needed to text Youngjae right away to let him know that he had received his letter and that he would be waiting with open arms for him to arrive the following day. His letter had just arrived that day, but had been postmarked two days prior, meaning that he would be seeing his beloved best friend in less than twenty four hours. He wiped at his eyes quickly with a dry hand, bowing to the last few servants that lingered in case he needed anything before he hurried down the gaudily decorated hallway to his room. 

Jinyoung hadn’t been so cruel as to cut off Jaebeom’s cell phone use, though he had felt it inappropriate to carry it on his person while doing his duties as a royal. Which were almost 24/7 and so, he left it in the top drawer of his bedside table for most of the day. He had been tempted to call or text Youngjae on a daily basis, but with the time difference between their kingdoms and how busy he knew the other would be with helping to rebuild he didn’t want to bother his dearest friend. Though, he was now excited to know that he would finally be seeing the face he missed the most after four long months. 

He could hear the hushed conversation coming from Jinyoung’s room as he passed, the soft tittering laugh of a female echoing from behind the door. He rolled his eyes as he reached his own room, just one door down from Jinyoung’s. Jaebeom pushed the door open and stepped inside, letting out a long sigh as he stretched his arms over his head. It had been a long day and it was quickly approaching the time in which Jinyoung had requested he visit his chambers, his eyes flitting to glare at the door which separated their rooms. 

He could hear the voices clearly now, the heavy wooden door doing little to muffle the husky sound of Jinyoung’s voice as he sweet talked his latest conquest. It was his usual spiel, talking about how pretty she was and how lucky he was to have caught the eye of such a fine beauty. He would then go on to remind her of how it was such a great honor to be bed by the king and that she would forever hold a piece of him. Jaebeom knew the speech by heart at this point, having heard it nearly every night since his arrival. It was almost mechanical the way Jinyoung recited it, though his usual lack of interest in everything he did would give way just enough to ensure that he would have a pliant woman for the evening. He had tried using his smooth words and velvet tongue on Jaebeom on the eve of his arrival, but Jaebeom had wanted to sleep more than anything. Jet lag was not his friend. Since then Jinyoung had not tried to woo him, despite Jaebeom’s constant teasing about how he was a much more suitable lover than the countless women Jinyoung had bed in the time he had spent in the castle. Jaebeom had no personal interest in actually being taken to bed by Jinyoung, but he took his duties as his fiance very seriously. It was obvious to him that the king was unhappy even with his current entourage of women and it was his duty to make the king happy.

Jaebeom tore his eyes away from the door at the first sound of pleasure that made it’s way to his ears. He shook his head and headed towards his bed, where he sat on the edge of it before pulling open the bedside table drawer. Inside it were various trinkets that he had brought from home, many given to him by Youngjae as they were growing up. He smiled fondly down at them, fingers smoothing over their surfaces one by one before he finally pulled out his cell phone and pressed the power button. His already beaming smile widened as it came to life, the lock screen a photograph of Youngjae, himself, and Youngjae’s family dog, Coco. He quickly punched in his passcode and unlocked his phone, groaning to himself as a slew of notifications came through, the loud “ping” sound causing him to twitch. There were several missed calls from his mother, two voicemails, and a text. He rolled his eyes, knowing she was likely just wanted to fuss at him about his father being too lazy now that he wasn’t around to keep him moving and he opened the text. It was a photo of his father, sitting half-way in his throne and sleeping, head tossed back with his nose in the air. The caption read “Couldn’t we have sent him away instead? Miss you. Love you, Mom.”

He chuckled to himself and shook his head before keying in a quick response full of love and promises that he was doing fine and that he missed her and loved her just as much. He moved on to check his voicemail and listened to his mother’s loud, but charming voice waft through the air, rambling on about his father and how much she missed him, but also making sure to comment on the fact that Youngjae would be coming to visit soon. He made a mental note to call her after Youngjae had arrived, to let her know he had made it safely and that the two of them were finally reunited. He closed out his phone app and went back to his messaging app, quickly punching in a text to the man in question.

“Youngjae-ah! I got your letter today. I am happy to hear that you will be arriving tomorrow. Do let me know when you plan to get in, I’ll make sure a grand feast is prepared! I can’t wait to see you and hear this news of yours. <3 <3 <3”

He sent the text, satisfied with something short and sweet for now. They would have plenty of time to chat the following day. If all Youngjae had planned for the day was picking up an order of fabric then Jaebeom would be thankful to have him for the rest of his stay. He let out a wistful sigh as he closed the messaging app, eyes falling to the digital clock that glared up at him brightly from the center of his home screen. It read 16:58, two minutes ‘til the time he was to find his way through the door that would lead him into Jinyoung’s bedchambers. He grunted and shoved his phone back into the drawer, not bothering to turn it off in the event that Youngjae or his mother replied to his texts. He stood from his spot on the bed, running his hands flatly along his trousers to make sure that they were smoothed down and wrinkle free before making his way towards the door. He scowled to himself as he neared it, the obvious sounds of lovemaking penetrating even the thick paneling of the door and he sucked in a breath before reaching for the heavy golden knob. He twisted it in his palm, shoving the door open in one motion before stepping through it and into the king’s bedchambers. 

It came as no shock to him to find Jinyoung on his back, resting comfortably on a stack of pillows that looked very similar to the ones in Jaebeom’s own bed. His legs were flat against his bed, fingers gripping slender hips with an almost bruising pressure, eyes trained on the face of the woman who was seated on his lap. Jaebeom averted his gaze as she let out a lewd moan, head lolling back as she rolled her hips. He cleared his throat as the sound tapered off, the woman startling and coming to a halt, her doe-like eyes turning on him. Jinyoung gave her a squeeze, his stern voice breaking the awkward silence and he slid one hand along the smooth skin of her stomach to lazily grope at a breast.

“I didn’t tell you to stop.”

The woman mumbled something that Jaebeom couldn’t understand, though he heard the following slap, Jinyoung’s palm roughly coming into contact with the meat of her thigh.

“Move. Or get out and don’t show your face to me again.”

Jinyoung’s voice was full of venom, cold as ever and Jaebeom glanced at him to see the signature smirk on his lips as the woman nodded slowly and resumed rolling her hips the pace at which he had interrupted. He quirked a brow when Jinyoung turned his gaze on him, watching him silently for a few moments.

“Did you need something, Jaebeom?”

Jinyoung asked, shifting his hips slightly and causing the woman on top of him to let out a sharp gasp.

“You told me to be here at nine, it’s nine.”

Jaebeom replied, one eyebrow raising in question.

“Ah, that. I forgot what it is that I wanted you for. You can return to your chambers. That is, unless you’d like to join.”

Jinyoung smirked at that, the look on the young woman’s face almost comical as she turned her head to stare at Jaebeom in an almost pleading manner. Jaebeom scoffed and crossed his arms over his chest, eyeing the both of them with an amused grin now plastering itself on his lips.

“Nah. I think I’ll pass. No offense, but you’re not my type.”

Jaebeom shot back, leaving them both to only guess at whom he was speaking to, if not the two of them.

‘If you didn’t need anything, I’ll see myself out.”

He uncrossed his arms and bowed politely before stepping back through the still opened door and he closed it behind him. A sigh escaped his lips when he found himself back in his own room, his head shaking. He could hear the way the king cursed, his voice commanding and powerful as he barked an order for the woman to get off of him and onto her knees. The loud slapping of skin on skin pierced through the air and Jaebeom could clearly hear the panting moans of the woman each time Jinyoung slammed into her. He rolled his eyes and made his way back to his bed, throwing himself onto it unceremoniously and reaching or his cell phone. He dug out one of his many pairs of earbuds and crammed them into his ears, quickly plugging them into his phone and choosing a playlist to drown out the sounds coming from the next room. It had become a nightly ritual for him, lying on his back, staring at the ceiling while humming along to whatever track was playing at the time until Jinyoung was finished with his business. As much as he didn’t care what the king did in his own quarters he really wasn’t thrilled to be subject to hearing his exploits first hand. 

He wasn’t sure when he had fallen asleep, but the following day couldn’t have come sooner. Jaebeom was eager to see Youngjae and so he greeted the servants that had come to wake him with more enthusiasm than usual, often rolling over and telling them to come back later. He was still in his clothes from the day before, his hair a mess and sticking out in every direction. He politely accepted the mug of steaming coffee that was offered to him, inhaling the rich scent of it before taking a cautious sip. It was piping hot, but just what he needed to get himself moving and ready to meet his dearest friend as soon as he received the notification that he had finished with his errands for the day. He hadn’t checked his phone before he had fallen asleep, but reached for it now to find the battery low and a warning to plug it into the charger flashing at him. He ignored it in favor of the snippet of a text from Youngjae that scrolled across his screen and he quickly opened it with a smile on his face.

Upon reading the text he sent back a quick reply, telling the younger that he would eagerly await his arrival at the castle and that he should come as soon as possible. Jaebeom really never had any patience when it came to spending time with Youngjae. He looked up from his phone to see a couple of servants still lingering and awaiting orders, the eldest with a brow cocked as if she expected him to fall back over into his bed and not be heard from again until lunchtime. He chuckled and waved a hand to dismiss them, assuring them that he was up for the day. He had an important guest arriving after all and he had to make sure he was wide awake and looking his best. As soon as they had disappeared back into the hallway, Jaebeom sprang out of bed and to his closet where he rifled through his clothes until he found what he was looking for. It was a fuzzy pink sweater, one that Youngjae had personally tailored for him, stating that it made him look soft and much less intimidating. Typically, Jaebeom didn’t dress casually when he was in Jinyoung’s presence, opting to stick with a more refined look, but today he didn’t care. Today was about himself and about Youngjae. Jinyoung be damned! He hugged the sweater to his chest and picked out a plain white button down shirt to wear beneath the sweater for some semblance of formality, opting for light grey slacks and his usual black loafers to finish off the look. He moved to his dresser to dig out a fresh pair of boxers and made his way into his private bathroom to shower and get ready for the day. 

Jaebeom found the dining room oddly quiet as he neared after he had finished bathing and styling his hair neatly, the usual sound of cutlery scraping across porcelain as Jinyoung ate his breakfast nowhere to be found. He rounded the corner into the open space that they used to dine and he raised one eyebrow in confusion when he spotted the king sitting in his usual spot at the end of the table, food on his plate, but hands resting on the arms of his chair. He continued to his own spot at the other end of the table, an empty plate lifted from the table by a servant to be filled with food as he took his seat. 

“I’m surprised to see you here so early.”

Jinyoung stated plainly, eyes never leaving Jaebeom as he thanked the servant when his food was placed before him.

“I’m surprised to see you haven’t eaten yet. Not feeling well, your highness?”

The term wasn’t used to show respect. In fact, it was more of a mockery than anything coming from Jaebeom.

“I was waiting for you.”

Jinyoung responded idly, shoulders shrugging as if it were the most normal thing ever.

“You what?”

Jaebeom countered, hand stopping midway to his mouth, a curious look on his face at the admission.

“You said that your friend would be arriving today, so I thought that we should discuss his sleeping arrangements and make sure that dinner plans are set in stone. We wouldn’t want to put out your dearest friend, now would we?

Jinyoung’s voice was stable and calm, yet held a hint of coldness that Jaebeom had come to expect. 

“Mmmm. I see. I assume his father booked a room at a hotel for him, but I’m sure that it can be taken care of if you wish for him to stay at the castle. I think that’s a lovely idea, thank you Jinyoung.”

Jaebeom smiled down the table, the corners of his eyes crinkling as he took the first bite of his breakfast. He hummed in satisfaction, the warm flavor of cinnamon mixing with the sweetness of apples on his tongue. He appreciated the effort that was put into their meals, breakfast being no exception. He swallowed and took another bite, helping himself to the pile of cinnamon pancakes topped with apples and caramel sauce that were on his plate. He washed it down with a gulp of milk, not even noticing the fact that it left a wet trail on his upper lip until Jinyoung scoffed and spoke up again.

“You eat like a child. Wipe your mouth.”

Jaebeom glanced up at him, noting the scowl on his lips and he snorted as he rubbed at his mouth with the back of his hand and grinned back at Jinyoung.

“Better?”

Jiyoung rolled his eyes and sighed, stabbing at a piece of meat on his plate and stuffing it in his mouth, only to mumble around it lowly. He waved his knife in the air, gesturing towards Jaebeom’s attire and swallowed his food almost whole as he addressed the way he was dressed.

“What’s with the outfit anyway. You look like a fruit loop.”

“A fruit loop?”

Jaebeom raised an eyebrow, laughing at the comment.

“Yeah, a pastel fruit loop. Why aren’t you wearing your formal attire?”

Jinyoung questioned, still pointing the knife in Jaebeom’s direction, though his elbow was now resting on the tabletop instead of hovering in the air.

“Ah. Youngjae made this shirt for me. I wanted to wear it today since it’s been a while since we’ve seen one another.”

Jaebeom beamed proudly as if he had stated that he had made it himself and he patted the fabric on his shoulder lovingly.

“He said the color suits me.”

Jinyoung rolled his eyes and dropped his hand to the table, releasing the knife and going back to picking at his meal, muttering under his breath.

“Yeah, cause you’re a fruit loop.”

Jaebeom snorted at this, deciding not to argue and he smiled down at his breakfast before happily digging back in. He was going to see Youngjae today and not even Jinyoung’s terrible attitude could ruin his mood.

\---------

Jaebeom paced around the reception area, hands stuffed into the pockets of his trousers as he waited impatiently for Youngjae’s arrival. He tore his eyes away from the carpet to rest on the large grandfather clock in the corner, it’s minute hand lurking dangerously close to the hour. He let out an anxious sigh, his feet taking him back towards the main hall to start another bout around the room and he stopped abruptly as he nearly crashed into another figure.

“Jinyoung. What are you doing here?”

Jaebeom asked cautiously, not having expected the other to show any interest in the arrival of his dearest friend. 

“Hmmm? I’m not allowed to stand in my own hallway?”

Jinyoung chided, signature smirk plastered on his lips. He circled around Jaebeom, who turned to follow the other with his eyes.

“I just wanted to offer a warm welcome to Youngjae. What kind of a fiancé would I be if I wasn’t cordial to his very best friend?”

The words lacked any real emotion, though he had made sure to emphasize the word fiancé. While Jaebeom knew that Jinyoung had no real interest in Youngjae, he also knew that arguing would get him nowhere. He sighed and withdrew one hand from his pocket, pushing it through his hair roughly and causing it to stand on end.

“You’re a mess.”

Jinyoung scoffed, reaching out one hand to smooth down the wild stands. Jaebeom stared at him wide eyed, mouth hanging open. Before he had a chance to reply, the front doors swung open, revealing the head butler and one very brightly smiling Choi Youngjae.

“Youngjae!”

Jaebeom exclaimed, the expression in his eyes changing instantly as he spotted his best friend, He pulled away from Jinyoung, whose hand still dangled in the air between the two of them and made his way around him to rush towards the man in question. He threw his arms around him and squeezed, as if he hadn’t seen him in years rather than four months. He lifted Youngjae off of the floor and spun in a full circle, the younger male’s laughter filling the room. 

“Aish. Jaebeom-ah, we’re not so young anymore. You’re going to throw out your back.”

Youngjae teased, laughing easily at the offended expression that fell on Jaeboms’s features as he set Youngjae back down onto the ground. 

“Listen here you. I am not old.” 

Jaebeom huffed, arms still wrapped loosely around Youngjae’s waist as he smiled fondly at the man, 

“You must be Youngjae.”

Jinyoung cut in, his voice sounding from just over Jaebeom’s shoulder. 

Jaebeom tensed and let his hands linger but a moment longer on Youngjae’s back before letting his arms fall at his sides and he turned slightly to introduce the two of them to one another.

“Ah, yes. Jinyoung, this is Youngjae, my best friend. Youngjae, this is Jinyoung… the”

“His fiancé, but you know that already; I assume.”

Jinyoung cut in again, smile plastered on his lips and hand outstretched. He had been observing quietly, noting the way Jaebeom smiled at the younger man in a way he had never seen him smile before. He could tell from his body language that this was someone very dear to him and that he would likely never hold a candle to what Youngjae meant to Jaebeom. He could see why Jaebeom would be drawn to him. His demeanor was pleasant, his smile warm and endearing, his laughter almost infectious; if Jinyoung would allow himself to be anything but sour. He was slim, but not thin. Tall and lean, with dark hair that fell into eyes that seemed like they had no ends to their depth. 

Youngjae laughed, noting the tense atmosphere and he took Jinyoung’s hand in his own, giving it a firm squeeze before smiling warmly at him. 

“So I’ve heard! I hope our Jaebeomie here isn’t causing any trouble for you.”

“Our Jaebeomie is of course doing nothing of the sort. He’s the perfect gentleman.”

Youngjae caught the way Jaebeom visibly blanched at the endearment, the smirk on Jingyoung’s lips not going unnoticed despite being present for mere seconds. He could tell that this was going to be an interesting trip.

“Good. I would hate to have to report back to his mother that he was misbehaving. She told me to keep an eye on you while I’m here, you know?”

Jaebeom rolled his eyes and slapped Youngjae on the shoulder lightly, a wide grin breaking out on the latter’s lips.

“She really did!”

“I believe you. It sounds like something she would say.”

Jaebeom shook his head and laughed, stretching his arm out to gesture towards the dining hall.

“We’ve prepared a grand feast, as promised. You must be hungry after your busy day in town. Please do come and eat!”

Youngjae chuckled, reaching one hand out to squeeze Jaebeom’s shoulder lovingly, the warmth in his eyes telling. 

“You and your food. I swear you would have a feast for every occasion, even the first snow if you could!”

Youngjae teased, eyes crinkling as he smiled.

“He did, actually.”

Jinyoung offered, smirking at the way Jaebeom’s expression went from petulant to outright betrayed.

“I did not!”

Jaebeom argued, crossing his arms over his chest in a matter-of-fact manner.

“You most certainly did. As I recall, you came stumbling through the door connecting our rooms, shouting about how everything was sparkling like a snow globe, and that you needed to have waffles dusted with confectioner’s sugar for breakfast to look like snow.”

Jaebeom stood flabbergasted, mouth opening and closing with no sound coming out to defend himself and he turned a stricken eye on Youngjae when he burst into raucous laughter.

“Oh my- Jaebeom, did you really?”

Youngjae couldn’t help himself, the image of Jaebeom bursting at the seams like a small child over snowflakes and wanting food that would resemble it crossing his mind.

“I-”

“He did. You know what else he did?"

Jinyoung supplied, waggling his eyebrows.

“What?”

Youngjae’s curiosity was piqued, paying little mind to the man in question, exasperation written all over his face.

“Come, we’ll talk while we walk. I think someone is hungry.”

Jinyoung turned, gesturing for Youngjae to start towards the dining hall and giving Jaebeom a wicked grin as the former passed him by; an evil glint in his eye. 

\-------------------------------------------

“He did not! You didn’t! Jaebeom, tell me you didn’t.”

Youngjae’s voice was high pitched and full of amusement, the stories Jinyoung had been telling him about Jaebeom’s antics much more than he had expected to get from the so-called tyrant king. He laughed again at the way Jaebeom was sulking low in his chair, nose crinkled, eyes trained on his empty plate, and his lips forming the slightest pout.

“He can’t, because he did. I swear to you he chased that poor cat up and down the hallway meowing at it for a solid ten minutes before Mrs. Kim told him to stop torturing her poor baby and get back to his room. It was two o’clock in the morning!”

Youngjae howled as Jinyoung finished the story, one hand slapping the arm of his chair while the other came up to cover his mouth slightly. He eyed Jaebeom, chuckling one more time before reaching out to pat him on the arm softly and he smiled at him wistfully.

“I’m glad you’re still the same Jaebeomie that left us four months ago. I was worried you’d turn into a sour grape.”

Jaebeom grunted in reply, turning his head away from Youngjae in mock irritation, but the smile that played on his lips said he was anything but. 

“Whatever.”

Jaebeom muttered, shifting to sit up in his seat as the servants began to clear their plates. He bowed his head in thanks, eyes sliding across the table to settle on Jinyoung for a moment. Jinyoung was quiet again, his own dark eyes boring back into Jaebeom’s and Jaebeom cleared his throat before turning back to Youngjae.

“So what was this big news you had to tell me?

Jaebeom tried to change the subject from himself, watching as Youngjae went from laughing to silent, shifting in his chair a bit.

“Younjgae..”

Jaebeom started, dread washing over his entire being at the way Youngjae’s demeanor changed. He watched the way the younger tensed and relaxed, his features sliding into a startled expression. He hadn’t seen Youngjae looks this nervous in a long time and it was concerning. 

“Ah! Oh, no no. Jaebeomie, it’s nothing bad. I can tell by the way you’re looking at me that you think it’s bad. It’s not bad, just.. Private.”

Youngjae mumbled softly, not wanting to offend Jinyoung, but wanting Jaebeom to be the first to hear his news. Jaebeom let out the breath that he hadn’t realized he had been holding until it escaped him in a loud sigh. He was relieved to find that Youngjae was just being shy and awkward around Jinyoung, rather than hiding upsetting news. He reached out to squeeze Youngjae’s shoulder softly with a knowing smile.

Jinyoung watched the two of them in silence. It frustrated him, the way there seemed to be a bubble that formed around the pair and protected them from outside interference. He was envious and wanted to be a part of it, yet he felt irritated at the same time. He had never felt that close to another person. Never wanted to share secrets or stories with anyone the way the two before him had. It was infuriating and he shoved his chair backwards, nearly sending it toppling with a loud scrape. He could feel two startled pairs of eyes on him, eyebrows raised and lips twitching with unspoken questions. He waved a hand idly, dismissing the two of them and nodding his head towards Youngjae.

“It was nice to meet you, but it seems the two of you have a lot of catching up to do. I’ll leave you to it.”

“Ah. Yes, it was nice to meet you, too. Have a nice evening.”

Youngjae called out to Jinyoung’s retreating back before turning back to Jaebeom.

“He doesn’t seem as bad as the rumors say. Is he treating you well?”

Youngjae inquired, his voice soft.

“He has his moments, I suppose.”

Jaebeom shrugged, not really letting on to what he had seen in the past few months as Jinyoung’s fiance.

“What do you mean by that?”

Youngjae questioned, one eyebrow raised in interest.

“You know how it is.”

“Jaebeom…”

Youngjae prodded, jabbing at his shoulder with a stern expression gracing his usually relaxed face.

“It’s nothing. He’s just- He’s very cold, usually. Even to the staff. He just doesn’t show emotion, unless it’s anger. I think when he was making fun of me to you earlier is the most I’ve seen him smile in the entire time I’ve been living here.”

Jaebeom explained, thinking back on all of the times he’d seen Jinyoung scowl or shout. Rarely, if ever, did he see the slightest hint of a positive human emotion cross his features.

“Wow. That’s kind of sad, don’t you think? He seems fond of you, though. If he really only smiles like that when he talks about you.”

Youngjae mused, lightly poking at Jaebeom’s shoulder again. Jaebeom scoffed, eyes rolling as he sank into his chair more comfortably.

“You’d think so, but I don’t know. He never actually smiles AT me. He just- scowls. Or sometimes he’ll get this look of bemused disgust when I poke fun at all of his consorts. He hates them, you know? He looks like he’s trying to choose a new set of curtains every time they bring in women for him to choose from for his harem. Who in the hell even has a harem in this day in age?”

Jaebeom sighed in frustration, hands gripping the arms of his chair a little tighter than necessary and turning his knuckles white.

“He has a what?”

Youngjae spat, shock plastered all over his features.

“He has a harem, Youngjae. They even have their own damn house. It’s back behind ours. They bring in this large group of women every other week and make him choose 2 or 3 that he’s supposed to try and produce an heir with. It’s so-”

“Archaic.”

Youngjae finished for him, his eyes wide and mouth agape.

“Can I see it?”

He asked, slightly bouncing in his seat like a child asking for a toy would.

“See what? Jinyoung with one of his women? Please. I’ve seen it. It’s nothing to be impressed with.”

Jaebeom spat, not even trying to hide his disgust.

“What? No- The house! But wait- You’ve seen it? Jinyoung with a woman?”

Youngjae was shocked, his eyes growing even wider as he leaned forward in his seat to crowd Jaebeom.

“Was it weird? I mean, seeing the person you’re supposed to be marrying with someone else..”

“Ha!”

Jaebeom scoffed, jumping from his seat and knocking his chair back in the process.

“As if I would be affected by that. It’s just a formality, our marriage, that is. And the sleeping with women? He’s expected to provide an heir. I can’t provide that. It’s no big deal. I’m just not a big fan of, you know, women in that manner, so obviously I wasn’t going to be impressed seeing one getting fucked by my soon to be husband.”

Jaebeom was unaware of how offended he really came off as, though Younjgae took note of his tone and posture and filed it away for later analyzing.

“Mmm. I see your point. I still wanna see the house, though.”

Youngjae prodded, taking his time in getting to his feet. The dining chairs were oddly comfortable and he had spent a large portion of his day walking around the marketplace in search of materials that they were unable to find in their own country. He smiled as Jaebeom let out an exasperated sigh and hooked his elbow around his neck, pulling him into a headlock and ruffling his hair before releasing him and laughing.

“Fine. I’ll take you on a grand tour of the place. Not that you haven’t seen enough of the castle back home to be impressed by this one.”

Jaebeom was grinning now, pushing aside any worries that Youngjae had for his well being at the moment and he lead his friend out of the dining hall and towards the main hallway. He bellowed loudly as he threw his arms out, gesturing to their hideously decorated hall and laughing along with the other as they began the grand tour.

\-----------

Less than an hour later Jaebeom found himself choking on air as he laughed at the stories Youngjae had brought to him from home. It seemed that his mother stopped by Youngjae’s home frequently as she missed her own son dearly and simply had to see her second son in his stead. She had always doted on him, ever since they were children and nothing had changed in the twenty years that they had been friends. 

“Mother always did love you the most.”

Jaebeom snorted, chest shaking with laughter.

“After you, maybe. She still talks about you all the time. Remember when Jaebeom did this, remember when Jaebeom did that? It’s constant. You really should come home to visit soon.”

Youngjae stated, more a gentle request than a demand, however.

“You know I can’t just leave when I want to, Younjgae. I have duties here now.”

Jaebeom sighed, giving Youngjae’s shoulder a light squeeze.

“What is it you wanted to tell me, though? We’ve been alone for quite some time now and you still haven’t spilled the beans. I’m getting anxious, you know.”

Jaebeom prodded, letting his hand fall to rest on his thigh. They were sitting on Jaebeom’s bed, Jaebeom with his cheek in his hand, elbow digging into the mattress, and turned slightly to face his friend while Yougjae was cross legged and leaned back with his hand planted on the mattress behind him. Youngjae swallowed and smiled softly before sitting up straight and placing his hands on his lap. He fiddled with his fingers for a moment, drawing Jaebeom’s attention there and biting down on his lower lip when he heard the gasp sound.

“Choi Youngjae! Is that?”

Jaebeom stared at the ring on Youngjae’s finger, eyes as big as saucers and lips breaking into a comically wide grin. He sat up immediately, reaching out to snatch Youngjae’s hand in his own and lifting it to his face for closer inspection.

“How did I not notice this before!”

Jaebeom bellowed, shaking Youngjae’s hand frantically as the other chuckled quietly.

“I guess you were too distracted. I’ve been wearing it this whole time, but yes, it is what you think it is. Mark proposed. We’re getting married, Jaebeomie.”

Youngjae laughed and smiled wide, his white teeth on full display and Jaebeom whooped with glee, yanking Youngjae unceremoniously into his arms and wrapping his arms around him tightly. He flopped back onto the bed, pulling the younger with him while he smiled and cooed at him affectionately.

“About time! I thought he’d never ask. It’s been what, eleven years since the two of you started dating? I’m so happy for you. My baby boy is getting hitched. Ahhhh.. I feel like a proud mother.”

Jaebeom exclaimed, finally loosening his grip on him to look at his red face. 

“Ah, this really is great Youngjae-yah. I will definitely make sure to come home for this.”

Jaebeom assured him, one hand moving to brush the hair that had fallen into Youngjae’s eyes out of them. He tilted his chin down and kissed his forehead, smiling and squeezing him tight again before he was pulled out of his happy place by a very familiar, very confused sounding voice.

“Jaebeom! I need you for- What are you doing?”

Jaebeom startled at the sound of Jinyoung’s question, his head turning to stare at him blankly, yet he didn’t move from his position. He could feel Youngjae turn his head also, face mostly hidden by Jaebeom’s arms cradling his head, but he could feel a palpable tension building in the room. Jinyoung had been standing just outside Jaebeom’s bedroom door for the last several minutes. Well, pacing was more like it. He could hear the sound of laughter and the hushed voices that would sometimes grow louder in volume when one or the other of the two got excited. He had wanted to speak with Jaebeom, but hesitated upon hearing the sound of voices. He only wanted to wait for a few moments to see if Youngjae would take his leave and if he could catch Jaebeom before he started his nightly routine, but somehow seconds turned into minutes. He hadn’t meant to stay, hadn’t meant to strain to hear their conversation, hadn’t meant to interrupt his time with his friend, but when he heard the voices drop down low and the rustling of sheets something inside of him snapped and he threw the door open and stepped inside to find Jaebeom holding Youngjae. 

  
“I’m talking to Youngjae. What did you need?”

“That. Doesn’t look like talking.”

Jinyoung stated flatly, his eyes trained on the pair in front of him. His arms were slack at his sides and he was stopped a few feet away from the edge of Jaebeom’s bed, expression unreadable.

“Ah.”

Youngjae reacted first, pulling Jaebeom’s arms from around his head and sitting up, his cheeks red and his hair tousled from Jaebeom’s tight grasp on him. He glanced between the two other men, the silence almost deafening and he cleared his throat.

“It is getting a bit late, I suppose. I’ll leave you two to.. Whatever.”

He quickly spat out, nodding his head to Jaebeom as he crawled off the bed backwards.

“Youngjae-ah.”

Jaebeom started, his eyes falling on his friend helplessly.

“No. It’s best that he go. You shouldn’t have other men in your bed, anyway.”

Jaebeom balked at Jinyoung’s words, opening his mouth to argue when Youngjae cut in.

“He’s right. I’ll go. Goodnight, Jaebeom. I’ll see you in the morning?”

It was more a question than a statement, the youngest of the trio unsure of how Jinyoung would be acting by that time and he bowed to the king before shuffling past him and out the door. 

“Jinyoung, what the fuck?!”

Jaebeom barked as soon as the door closed behind Younjgae, his eyes clouded with anger. He hadn’t moved from his position, but to lean up on his elbows, his posture rigid with fury.

“Excuse me?”

Jinyoung shouted back, his anger finally showing as he stalked closer to Jaebeom’s bed, hands fisted at his sides.

“I said, what the fuck, Jinyoung. What right did you have to barge in here and make Youngjae uncomfortable like that? He is my best friend. That I haven’t seen in four months. You completely take over the conversation at dinner, taking every opportunity to make fun of me and then you storm in here like you own the place, acting like I’m doing something wrong because I hugged my fucking best friend.”

“I do own the place! This my fucking castle. My fucking kingdom, Jaebeom. Not yours. And you are my fiance.”

Jinyoung slammed his hands down on the mattress, causing Jaebeom to jerk in surprise. He snarled and crawled onto the bed, settling on top of Jaebeom’s thighs and coming face to face with a startled Jaebeom.

Jaebeom was shocked to see this level of emotion from Jinyoung, but noticed the sway to his form. He could smell the alcohol on his breath as he groaned inwardly. 

“You’re drunk, Jinyoung.

“‘M not drunk.”

“Yes, you are. You’re swaying and you fucking stink.”

“Am not. Do not.”

“How much did you drink, Jinyoung?”

“Just a couple glasses of wine.”

“A couple?”

“Mhmmm.”

“Jinyoung, get the fuck off of me.”

Jaebeom had had enough. Drunk or not, Jinyoung had ruined his evening with Youngjae and was teetering dangerously close to his face. He wanted him out of his bed, out of his room, and possibly out of his life.

“No. You don’t tell me what to do. You’re mine.”

Jinyoung argued, his hot breath hitting Jaebeom in the face.

“Jinyoung, I’m warning you. Get. Off. Now.”

Jaebeom’s patience was waning, his hands fisted in the sheets at his sides, ready to push Jinyoung off of him and on to the floor if necessary.

“Or what? Why? So you can go find Younjgae and bring him back here? So you can have another man in your bed? Or so you can go to his?”

The volume of Jinyoung’s voice went up with each word, the frustration and tension that had been building for months finally breaking free. His lips formed a scowl, his brows furrowed, eyes slitted and sharp.

“Like you have room to talk, Jinyoung. How many fucking women have you taken to bed since I got here? Huh? How many? Let’s see. You get bored with them after a day or two, so let’s say two-three a week for sixteen weeks. thirty-two, Jinyoung. At least. Probably damn near forty and you’re mad that I had one, one person in my bed that isn’t you?!”

Jaebeom lost control at that point, his anger rising to the surface as he shouted back at Jinyoung. His fists were balled so tightly that his knuckles were white, his breathing irregular and labored as he struggled to keep his composure and not punch Jinyoung square in the face. 

“It’s not the same!”

Jinyoung argued, his eyes wide and his nostrils flaring.

“How is it any different?!”

Jaebeom bellowed, unable to stop himself from raising his voice.

“Because I don’t love them!”

Jinyoung shouted, his features falling from angry to anguished. 

“I don’t- I don’t love them.”

He repeated, his voice strained and barely audible this time. His eyes had fallen to stare at the center of Jaebeom’s chest, focusing on nothing in particular as he continued.

“So, it’s different. It’s not the same. So you can’t-”

Jinyoung stumbled over his words, a loud hiccup breaking free from his lips; the alcohol finally starting to become too much.

“Jinyoung..”

Jaebeom started, one hand shifting to steady the body that threatened to teeter by resting it gently on Jinyoung’s side.

“No!” 

Jinyoung shouted suddenly, pushing Jaebeom’s hand away and pointing directly at his nose.

‘You can’t kiss him. You can’t kiss anybody. Unless it’s me. You can’t. Not him especially. Because you lo-”

Jinyoung cut off suddenly, swaying on his knees and Jaebeom reached both hands up to catch him under the arms before he fell forward; the alcohol taking it’s toll. Jaebeom sighed and let the weight of Jinyoung’s body sag against his own, falling back against the bed and staring at the ceiling in exasperation. Once he had readjusted them so that Jinyoung was resting more comfortably against his chest he let his arms fall against the sheets, splayed out at his sides and he groaned in frustration. 

“Because I what, you idiot? Do you really think I’m in love with Youngjae? Is that why you hate him so much?”

Jaebeom mumbled to the sleeping king, his chin digging into his chest so that he could look down at the rumpled mess that was Jinyoung, snoring loudly and drooling on his shirt. 

“What am I supposed to do with you, huh?”

Jaebeom shook his head and laughed sadly, dropping his head back to the mattress and lying there for a few moments before carefully maneuvering Jinyoung on to his side and glancing over at his one last time before padding into the en suite bathroom to take a shower and cool down. He would find another room to sleep in for the night.

\---------------

Jinyoung rubbed his eyes with the heels of his hands and yawned, his feet carrying him to the dining hall slowly. He had woken up in Jaebeom’s bed to find himself tucked in comfortably, but alone. He had some recollection what had transpired the night before, but bits and pieces were still foggy. He groaned as he neared the open doors that lead into the dining hall, loud voices wafting out into the open space of the hallway that he immediately recognized and Jaebeom and Youngjae. They sounded happy and unbothered, much unlike himself and he frowned before straightening himself up and taking a deep breath. He knew that he had likely embarrassed himself in front of Jaebeom the night before, but he was unsure how unsightly he had seemed to Younjgae. He had burst into Jaebeom’s bedchambers and thrown him out in a drunken stupor. He tried to shake off the feeling of impending doom that loomed over his head and he stepped around the corner of the door and into the dining hall.

“These are really gorgeous, Youngjae. Who did he have take them? They did such an amazing job capturing the emotions on your face throughout the entire process.”

Jaebeom was smiling warmly as his friend, one arm hanging loosely over the back of Youngjae’s chair as they shuffled through printed photographs.

“Ah! Here it is! The one I wanted to show you. Look at Mark.”

Youngjae beamed, the smile he wore even brighter than the one Jinyoung had seen the day before as he held up a photo for Jaebeom to see. 

“Look at Mark? Look at you! You look so handsome! Both of you. Truly. I’m really so happy for you, Youngjae. I wish I could have been there for this, but-”

“Good morning.”

Jinyoung cut in, shifting on his feet at the head of the table. He waited for a servant to pull out his chair before taking his seat and he watched the other two with his brows crinkled together.

“Ah, good morning, Your Highness.”

Youngjae bowed his head politely, his eyes casting back down towards the photos in his hands as soon as he had said his greeting.

“You can call me Jinyoung.”

“Good morning, Jinyoung.”

Jaebeom said gruffly, his voice lower than it had been moments before when speaking to Youngjae. He stared down the table at Jinyoung, taking in his still slightly disheveled appearance before turning his attention back to Youngjae.

“So, who did you say took the photos?”

“Oh! Your mother, actually.”

“My mother?! She what? I didn’t know she even knew how to use a camera!”

Jaebeom exclaimed, laughing heartily at the revelation. He would definitely have to speak with his mother about this newfound information, happy to learn that she possibly shared his passion for photography. 

“What are you two looking at?”

Jinyoung inquired, head cocked slightly to the side as he eyed the two of them curiously.

“Photos from Youngjae’s engagement.”

Jaebeom supplied, his eyes sliding from to photos to watch Jinyoung’s facial expression falter comically.

“Engagement?”

Jinyoung repeated, brows furrowing together more deeply as he looked between the two of them in confusion.

“Yes, Jinyoung. Engagement. Youngjae here is getting married.”

Jaebeom beamed as he gripped the back of Youngjae’s neck and squeezed, pulling a soft chuckle out of the younger male who was now blushing at all of the attention.

“Mark. By the way. His name is Mark. Youngjae has had his eye on him since the day he moved into his neighborhood, what- thirteen years ago? God, I hated him at first, but now I’m glad to see how happy he makes Youngjae. It’s about time the two of them tied the knot!”

Jaebeom clapped his hand on Youngjae’s back, the smile on his lips radiant and rivaling the sun. Jinyoung was caught off guard, shuffling his feet nervously under the table and he took to stabbing at the food on his plate and shoveling it in his mouth to mask his surprise. He nodded his head through his chewing, showing that he was listening, but unable to supply any sort of response. He was far too caught off guard. Not to mention, embarrassed at his misconception of Jaebeom’s relationship with his friend.

“You really did hate him. I remember when the two of you got into that fistfight because you thought he was bullying me.”

Youngjae sighed, eyes rolling at the way Jaebeom smiled at him sheepishly.

“Hey! You would be concerned, too. Our always lively and loud Youngjae suddenly sitting off to the side and not saying a word, side eyeing the new guy.”

Jaebeom defended himself, turning in his chair to face Youngjae.

“You didn’t have to hit him, though.”

Youngjae rolled his eyes, setting his photos down and crossing his arms over his chest.

“Yeah, but-”

“But nothing, Jaebeom. You’ve always had a terrible temper and it really showed that day. You’re lucky Mark even spoke to you again after that. However, he understood where you were coming from and let it go.”

“Yeah, yeah. I know.”

Jaebeom sighed, not wanting to get into it again. They had been over it a thousand times. Youngjae always finding amusement in reminding Jaebeom of his past transgressions against his lover.

“Yeah, you know.”

Youngjae lightly hit Jaebeom on the back of his head with an open palm, his head falling back and his stomach rumbling with laughter at the way Jaebeom pouted in response.

“At least I didn’t bring up the time you found out that Mark and I were together.”

Younglae waggled his eyebrows at Jaebeom, laughing even harder when the elder flinched, groaning with his whole being.

“Please, don’t remind me.”

Jaebeom grunted, eyes closing as one hand went up to pinch the bridge of his nose.

“Why? What happened?”

Jinyoung spoke up after quite some time, having taken to eating his food in silence while the other two bantered with one another. 

Jaebeom opened one eye to stare at Jinyoung, his lips forming a very obvious “No”, without the sound coming out. 

“Well.”

“Youngjae.”

“There was this one time-”

“Please, don’t.”

“Jaebeom, Mark and I were all supposed to hang out and-”

“Stop.”

“Jaebeomie showed up earlier than he was supposed to.”

“I’m leaving.”

Jaebeom shoved his chair back and glared at this friend, a pout evident on his lips and he frowned when Youngjae’s only response was to fall back into his chair laughing.

“Bye.”

Jinyoung waved at Jaebeom with his fork, smiling at him and turning back to Youngjae.

“So what happened then?”

“My mom sent Jaebeom up to my room not knowing what my relationship with Mark was at the time and well, let’s just say he walked into something he didn’t want to see.”

“Aish!”

Jaebeom shouted as Youngjae finished the story, still standing there looking as scandalized as he had felt that day. He did not need to see his best friend naked, nor did he want to and he covered his face with his hands as he sank back into his chair, defeated.

“Wait, so you were- and he walked in on it?”

Jinyoung questioned, one eyebrow raised as he pointed his fork at Youngjae, then at Jaebeom.

“Well, we weren’t having sex just-”

“Oh my god, stop. Please. Don’t make me relive this again.”

Jaebeom groaned, letting his hands drop to rest on the arms of his chair.

“Oh for the love of- Jaebeom, you act like you’ve never seen my dick before. We used to take baths together.”

“Yeah, when we were like seven. Not when we were teenagers. Christ, I will never get the image of Mark’s ass out of my mind, either. I hate you both.”

Jaebeom hissed, sliding down in his chair until only his eyes were visible over the top of the table. 

“Stop being dramatic.”

Youngjae laughed, swatting at Jaebeom’s head.

“Stop hitting me. Jinyoung, he’s hitting me.” 

Jaebeom whined, as if it would urge Jinyoung to do something about it.

Jinyoung stared at them, chewing his food in silence until he swallowed the last bite. He looked at the two of them, both stilled in their actions to watch him expectantly and he smiled weakly before bowing his head and pushing his chair back.

“I think I’m done here. Give my thanks to the chef.”

Jinyoung stated primly to the servant that came to clear his place, eyes flitting back to the pair at the other end of the table before clearing his throat.

“I’ll see you two later.”

With that he left a confused pair of men to stare after him, eyes meeting one another only after Jinyoung had exited the room and was out of earshot.

“What was that all about?”

Youngjae asked, more confused than ever about Jinyoung’s behaviour.

“I have no idea. He’s always weird.”

Jaebeom stated, shrugging while finally sliding off of his chair and onto the floor. He sat cross legged under the table for a moment, nose scrunched and eyebrows furrowed in thought. He shrugged again when he couldn’t come up with a reason and he crawled out from under the table to catch Youngjae staring at him.

“What?"

“And you call him weird…”

\-------------------

Youngjae’s exit was just as emotional as his entrance, if not more so. Jaebeom sniffled and hugged his friend one last time before he released him and stepped back to bid him farewell. Jinyoung had wandered out of his room just long enough to do the same, minus the hugging, but offered a firm handshake in its place. 

“Promise you’ll come to the wedding, both of you.”

Youngjae stated as he stood on the top step that lead down to the car waiting for him. 

Jaebeom glanced at Jinyoung who nodded politely, his own face pouting face morphing into a warm smile.

“Wouldn’t miss it for the world. You better get going, though. Before I change my mind about letting you leave.”

Jaebeom patted Youngjae on the shoulder, nodding towards the waiting car. The corners of his eyes prickling with unshed tears. He quickly wiped at one with the back of his hand and scowled at the knowing expression on Youngjae’s face. He shooed him away and stood with his arms crossed, a deep sigh escaping his lips as he watched his dearest friends back retreat down the stairs. He smiled and waved as Youngjae reached the open car door, turning to wave goodbye to the two standing at the top of the stairs and he turned his head to glance at Jinyoung as it pulled away to carry Youngjae home.

“Thank you for seeing him out.”

Jaebeom was genuinely thankful to Jinyoung for being courteous, despite his outburst the night before.

Jinyoung merely shrugged, humming lowly and turning to head back inside their living quarters.

“He’s a good kid.” 

“Yeah, he is. Jinyoung, about last night…”

Jaebeom started, noting the way Jinyoung went rigid when he spoke. He took a careful step forward, stopping just behind Jinyoung’s slightly smaller frame and he swallowed thickly before lifting a hand to place it on Jinyoung’s shoulder.

“Shit. I’m late. Sorry, Jaebeom. Can it wait ‘til later?”

Jinyoung spun to face him, tapping on the face of his watch and giving Jaebeom what appeared to be a sincere half-smile. 

Jaebeom sighed, dropping his arm to his side and nodding slowly. He stood in silence as he watched the second back retreat from him that day. 

Later never came. Jaebeom tried, time and again to speak with Jinyoung. Each time he was given some excuse about how one or the other of them had something that they should be doing. Even when he eventually cornered Jinyoung several days later, the other claimed to have no recollection of the night that he burst into Jaebeom’s room, aside from Youngjae being present. 

Jinyoung, however, did remember. He remembered seeing the two of them embracing on Jaebeom’s bed. He remembered seeing Jaebeom’s lips pressed softly against Youngjae’s skin. He remembered the ache that he felt in his chest upon seeing it, the way his throat tightened, and the way his vision blurred. He remembered feeling relieved when Youngjae left the room, left him alone with Jaebeom. He also remembered the fear that crept up his spine at the same time. At the realization that he was utterly alone with Jaebeom and that he had possibly exposed himself. He remembered the fight, the accusations, the way Jaebeom had tried to force him to leave, and the way that he couldn’t stop thinking that it wasn’t fair. He also remembered waking up alone in Jaebeom’s bed only to find out that he had been dead wrong in his accusations, and he still couldn’t bring himself to face Jaebeom.

Weeks passed and Jaebeom was still unable to make heads or tails of the way Jinyoung was acting. He had grown less harsh around the edges when it came to Jaebeom, but was still quite stand-offish at times and refused to listen to anything Jaebeom had to say in regards to the night in question. It was tiring and Jaebeom had begun to grow weary of the fact that Jinyoung seemed to immerse himself even further into the role he was given. It was taking him less and less time to choose the women he intended to sleep with and even less time in getting them into his bed. He had spent countless nights listening to the lustful sounds coming from the other side of the door, often times drowning them out with yet another playlist he had compiled for such an occasion.

He had had enough one particular evening when he found himself standing in the open doorway to his en suite, water droplets sliding down his bare torso as he towel dried his hair. He had just stepped out of the shower, hoping that Jinyoung would be finished with his latest conquest by the time he re-entered his room, but found that he had no such luck. He sighed and tossed the towel into the hamper and padded across the room to his dresser, the sounds from the next room growing louder the closer he came. He dug out a pair of basketball shorts and tugged them on before shoving the drawer shut loudly, hoping to startle the others into quieting down. His wish, however, went ungranted and the sound of lovemaking continued, his upper lip twitching with irritation. He closed the distance between himself and the door to Jinyoung’s room, pounding on it loudly and calling out to the man on the other side.

“Can you keep it down, please? It’s well past midnight and some of us would like to sleep.”

He groaned when he not only received no reply, but the voices grew louder, his anger bubbling to the surface. He gripped the doorknob, turning it roughly and slamming the door open, the wood bouncing off of the wall as he stepped into Jinyoung’s room. He furrowed his brows, finding Jinyoung alone and quite noticeably startled.

“Jaebeom. What are you doing in here?”

Jinyoung’s voice was small, his eyes wide and his posture slouched. A laptop computer was resting on his thighs with a pillow haphazardly thrown over his bare middle.

“Are you watching porn?”

Jaebeom questioned, arms crossing over his bare chest as he leaned against the doorframe, amusement etched in his features.

“Am I what? No. Why would you think that?”

Jinyoung countered, the pink of his cheeks telling.

“No? Then where are you hiding her?”

Jaebeom teased, stepping into the room further.

“Get out.”

Jinyoung commanded, though it fell quite short of being effective.

Jaebeom continued deeper into the room, stepping up to the edge of Jinyoung’s bed and peering at the paused video on the laptop screen.

“Looks like porn to me.”

Jaebeom mused, one knee coming to rest on the mattress next to Jinyoung. He glanced between the screen and Jinyoung’s face, a look of horrified shock having taken over and he chuckled to himself

“What happened? Did you run out of flavors of the week?”

Jaebeom’s voice was less teasing this time and more accusatory, his tone dropping low and he watched the way Jinyoung visibly blanched at his words.

“No. I just wasn’t in the mood for them tonight.”

“Oh, but you were in the mood to get off?”

Jaebeom prodded, his eyes falling to rest on the pillow still covering Jinyoung’s upper thighs and pelvis.

“Stress relief.”

Jinyoung shrugged. It was the most non-committal response that he could think of.

“You couldn’t get one of your whores to help?” 

Jaebeom continued to push, shifting to move the laptop up and away from the bed, setting it on the small bedside table and then seating himself on the bed beside Jinyoung. 

“You know I have fucking responsibilities, Jaebeom.”

Jinyoung countered, hands moving to rest on top of the pillow protectively as if it were the next thing that Jaebeom would go for.

“Fucking responsibilities, indeed.”

Jaebeom repeated, the insinuation obvious.

“God, you are insufferable.”

Jinyoung replied, pinching the bridge of his nose and heaving a sigh in irritation.

“I could say the same about you.”

Jaebeom stated, carefully watching Jinyoung’s face.

“You get mad about Youngjae, but here you are still sleeping with anyone who will look your way.”

“I told you. It’s different.”

Jinyoung spat, his voice lowered an octave as he huffed and glared at a now smirking Jaebeom.

“So you do remember.”

Jaebeom’s voice was airy, absolute victory plastered on his features.

“I- What?”

Jinyoung panicked, his voice catching in his throat and he swallowed thickly as Jaebeom shifted again. His eyes followed the way Jaebeom moved, his form twisting to cage Jinyoung in. Jaebeom’s thick thighs were pressed against the outside of his own and his hands were pressed flat against the wooden headboard on either side of Jinyoung’s head. He tried to find words to argue, but found himself lost in the dark orbs that studied his face with an emotion he didn’t recognize.

“Why were you so angry that night, Jinyoung?”

Jaebeom questioned, careful to keep his voice low and steady.

“I wasn’t. I wasn’t angry.”

“You seemed angry.”

“I was drunk.”

“Obviously, but why did it bother you so much that Youngjae was the one in my bed? Did you want it to be you?”

Jaebeom questioned further, his eyes watching the way Jinyoung’s throat bobbed as he swallowed, the way his large eyes blinked up at him.

“I don’t know.”

Jinyoung supplied, fully honest with Jaebeom and himself for the first time. He wasn’t sure why he had been so bothered by Youngjae in Jaebeom’s bed, nor had he taken the time to assess it. He had thrown himself into paperwork, conferences, and countless women to ease the burden of figuring out exactly what it was that has caused him to react so negatively towards the other young man. 

“Do you want to find out?”

Jaebeom asked quietly, his face now mere inches from Jinyoung’s own. 

“I-”

Before he could respond Jinyoung felt the Jaebeom close the gap between them. It wasn’t anything like he had expected their first kiss to be. Rather than rushed and rough it was gentle and unhurried. There was no force behind it, just the simple pressure of lips against one another, testing the waters. 

“Was that okay?”

Jaebeom finally spoke again, his hot breath ghosting across Jinyoung’s parted lips; his own still hovering close.

“I think so.”

Jaebeom chuckled at the indecisive way Jinyoung responded, but took the lack of a solid no as a green light and pressed their lips together a little more firmly this time. He settled more comfortably against Jinyoung’s legs, resting on the other’s knees and moved one hand to cup the back of his head. He could feel Jinyoung tense up at the contact and he pulled away to look at him affectionately.

“We can stop, if you want to.”

Jaebeom offered quietly, warm, dark eyes searching Jinyoung’s face for an answer. He didn’t want to push him further than he was ready to go. 

“No! I mean, no, we don’t have to stop."

Jinyoung assured him quickly, panic striking his features for a moment and then subsiding when Jaebeom rubbed his thumb gently against the back of his neck. Strangely enough he found Jaebeom’s touch to be more soothing than bothersome. 

“Are you sure?”

Jaebeom cocked his head to the side, white teeth digging into the meat of his lower lip nervously. He hadn’t expected to feel the need for so much caution with Jinyoung. Nor had he expected the other to appear to be so nervous when he had far more sexual encounters under his belt than Jaebeom himself.

“I’m sure. I just… I never did anything like this before.”

Jinyoung offered weakly, eyes darting to look at the wall just past Jaebeom’s left ear rather than meet his gaze. His cheeks were dusted pink and the tips of his ears were starting to burn with embarrassment at the admission.

“What do you mean? You have women in here all the time.”

Jaebeom’s brows were furrowed, confusion etched into his features as he stared at a Jinyoung he had never seen before. His skin was rosy, his eyes filled with specks of so many emotions that Jaebeom couldn’t even begin to comprehend them. His lips glistened with spit from his tongue darting out to lick at them nervously and Jaebeom found it all strangely endearing.

“I told you. It’s not the same.”

Jinyoung muttered, his voice low and barely audible.

“You don’t love them.”

Jaebeom finished, the hand on the back of Jinyoung’s neck sliding around to cup his chin and force him to meet his eyes.

“Do you love me?”

Jaebeom asked, voice thinner than he had expected it to be. He wasn’t sure what he expected to hear, but he kept his posture relaxed and his grip firm.

“I don’t know.”

Jinyoung responded timidly, gaze falling to the pillow that still rest on his lap, fingers having taken to picking at invisible lint.

“Jinyoung-ah. Look at me.”

Jaebeom urged him to lift his eyes, a small smile gracing his lips as he leaned forward and pressed his forehead to Jinyoung’s.

“It’s ok to not know. Honestly, I don’t know either, but I do know that I want this. If you don't, that's okay. We can end this now, but if you do.. I might not be able to stop myself once I start.” 

Jaebeom gave him a choice, something that had often been taken from him. He never chose to become the king at such a young age. He never chose to be forced into a role that knew nothing but loneliness outside of a warm body that was merely meant to produce an heir. He hadn’t even been given a choice in his marriage to Jaebeom. Everything had always been decided for him. The only thing he had ever had a choice in was with whom it was that he took to bed, but never when or how. He could feel the slight sting at the corners of his eyes and he blinked to force away the tears that threatened to form at the sudden realization of just how different Jaebeom was from everyone that had entered his life up until this point. Not only Jaebeom, but Youngjae. The man that he had scorned and found displeasure in just due to his mere existence. Despite the way that he had treated them, both of them, they still somehow found it in their hearts to forgive him.

“Then don’t stop.”

Jinyoung had found his voice, louder and firmer than before. He watched the way that Jaebeom’s lips twitched at the corners, turning upright in that same small smile he had shown moments before. He hadn’t noticed before how beautiful it truly was. He returned Jaebeom’s smile with one of his own, his eyes softening and giving way to new emotions.

“Jinyoung…”

Jaebeom breathed, the air between them warm and crackling with unresolved tension. He closed his eyes and tilted his head down, lips crashing against Jinyoung’s with more fervor than their previous kiss. He wasted no time in plucking at Jinyoung’s fat lower lip with his teeth, eliciting a low groan from the other male. He felt himself twitch in his basketball shorts, arousal slowly starting to snake it’s way into his veins. Both of his hands were on the back of Jinyoung’s head, cradling it and carding his fingers through raven silk.

Jinyoung felt like all of the air had been sucked out of his lungs when Jaebeom kissed him this time. He was light headed and warm, a low buzzing sensation trickling across his skin. It was like nothing he had ever felt before. He groaned into the kiss as Jaebeom shifted from biting and sucking on his lower lip to prodding at the seam of his lips for entry. He had to stop himself from laughing when their tongues met. Jaebeom tasted of mint and strawberries, having likely had a cup of strawberry milk earlier in the evening. It was a childish habit that left Jinyoung amused, but it was also a part of Jaebeom that he had come to accept.

Jaebeom lapped at the interior of Jinyoung’s mouth with his tongue, mapping out each and every corner and crevice before breaking away to suck in a shuddering breath. His eyes fluttered open to meet Jinyoung’s heavy lidded gaze, his spit slicked lips shimmering under the lamplight. He was mesmerized by the way he looked, almost completely debauched only after a kiss and he felt himself growing harder against his own thigh. He dove back in, this time aiming for Jinyoung’s neck, his lips connecting with soft, supple skin. He reveled in the way Jinyoung gasped for breath, his head lolling to the side to give Jaebeom better access. He mouthed his way along the curved of Jinyoung’s neck, teeth scraping against a protruding collar bone and pulling a hiss from Jinyoung’s lips.

Jinyoung hadn’t expected Jaebeom to be so dominant. It was usually he who took control in this type of situation, often commanding and contorting his partners into whatever position he felt like taking them in at the time. Though, he was surprisingly comfortable in letting Jaebeom do whatever he wanted. With Jaebeom, Jinyoung was not afraid to hand over the power. He let himself relax, his body going slack under the ministrations of the other. His eyes were closed, his chest rising and falling steadily as he freed himself from any reservations he may still have had. Jaebeom’s hands felt like fire on his skin, slowly trailing their way down from the back to his neck to his arms, then coming to rest on top of his own. He opened his eyes slowly when Jaebeom pulled his lips away from where he had been pressing soft kisses across his shoulder, head turning to find the other staring at him with an unspoken question in his eyes.

“It’s okay.”

Jinyoung assured him, nodding his head in affirmation and sliding his hands out from under Jaebeom’s to let them fall at this sides.

Jaebeom nodded back, his chin tilting down to stare at the place where his hands lie. They were resting comfortably on top of the pillow Jinyoung had thrown over his lap when he had burst into the room. The pillow case was silky and soft, much like those in his own bed and he scraped his nails across the fabric gently. He wasn’t sure why he was hesitating at this point, his heart thumping loudly in his chest despite the fact that Jinyoung had already told him to do as he pleased. He sucked in a shaky breath, glancing back up at Jinyoung’s serene face one more time before gripping the fabric carefully and lifting it away from Jinyoung’s lap to toss it onto the floor. 

Jinyoung gasped as the chill of the air came into contact with his newly exposed skin, his cock hot and embarrassingly hard. He looked away when Jaebeom gazed up at him, teeth biting into the inside of his cheek to keep himself from making a harsh comment. He shuddered and sucked in a breath at the first touch, tentative and gentle, the tips of Jaebeom’s fingers barely ghosting over his heated flesh. His hips twitched and he let out a lewd moan when Jaebeom swiped his fingertips through the precum pooling at his tip, trailing it down the length until he reached the base of Jinyoung’s cock. 

Jaebeom watched with interest at the way Jinyoung’s body jerked and shifted involuntarily with each touch. He wrapped his fingers loosely around Jinyoung’s cock, dragging them to the tip and back down in a torturously slow motion. He could feel Jinyoung’s eyes burning holes in the top of his head, but he couldn’t bring himself to speed up. He watched with fascination the way that Jinyoung’s stomach muscles clenched and released spastically. He tightened his grip on him after a few moments, twisting his wrist on the upstroke and sliding his free hand to palm at himself through his basketball shorts. He was becoming uncomfortably hard, the inside of his shorts no doubt streaked with his own sticky fluids and he groaned out loud at the way the fabric shifted against his sensitive skin with each pass of his hand.

Jinyoung startled at the sound of Jaebeom’s groan, his eyes moving to follow the line of his right arm and he bit down on his lower lip at the sight of Jaebeom working himself through his shorts. He had been so lost in his own pleasure that he had almost forgotten that Jaebeom had needs of his own and he mentally berated himself for being so absent minded. He lifted one hand, gently placing it on Jaebeom’s elbow and he chuckling when the elder jerked in surprise, wide eyes flitting to meet Jinyoung’s. He danced his fingers slowly down Jaebeom’s forearm, leaning forward until he was able to curl them around Jaebeom’s own and he peeled them away slowly.

“Let me.”

Jinyoung breathed into Jaebeom’s ear, his lips curling around one metal littered lobe while his fingers curled into the waistband of Jaebeom’s shorts. His free hand had joined the other and he tugged none-too-gently at the fabric, easing it down over Jaebeom’s hips and thighs until it pooled around his spread knees. His mouth watered at the sight of Jaebeom, hanging hard and heavy between his thighs, flushed red and oozing precum. He had never seen another man’s body up close, his eyes finally raking over every inch of Jaebeom’s bare torso and hips before settling back on his cock. He reached out gingerly, a little less confident than he had appeared to be moments before and he wrapped his fingers tightly around Jaebeom’s manhood. He was shorter, but thicker than Jinyoung, the weight heavy and unfamiliar in his hand. He stroked tentatively, pleased with the way Jaebeom sucked in a shaky breath despite his clumsy strokes. The angle was odd and not even remotely similar to when he jerked himself off, but he was determined to make Jaebeom feel good and he continued to pick up the pace with each rough pass of his hand.

“Fuck.”

Jaebeom swore as he fell forward, catching himself on his elbows on the headboard and nearly crushing Jinyoung beneath his weight. He had caught his knees in his shorts, hips jerking involuntarily into Jinyoung’s fist. He groaned and pressed his forehead against Jinyoung’s shoulder, his eyes squeezing shut tight as the other chuckled, Jinyoung’s free arm moving to wrap around his lower back loosely.

“You okay there?”

Jinyoung teased, fingers moving not only over his cock, but now his spine in slow soothing strokes.

“Yeah, fine. Just lost my balance.”

Jaebeom breathed out, gasping when Jinyoung thumbed at his slit, smearing the beaded precum across his sensitive tip. He kept as still as he possibly could, his knees straining against his shorts and his hips twitching with restraint. He wanted to drive them into Jinyoung’s hand, to thrust against the soft skin until he released all of the tension that had been building up for weeks, but he had to hold back for now. He licked at his dry lips, his tongue grazing the skin of Jinyoung’s neck. Jinyoung tasted like salt, sweat forming and glistening under the light as he worked Jaebeom up and eased him back down with each pass of his hand. Jabeeom wanted to scream, his body wound so tightly that it was torture to be touched like this when it wasn’t enough.

“Jinyoung..”

Silence, followed by a soft hum.

“Wanna fuck you.”

Jaebeom admitted quietly, his face turned so that his words were almost lost in Jinyoung’s neck, but he was close enough to his ear for the other to hear him clearly. He could feel Jinyoung tense up, his grip around Jaebeom’s cock faltering as he assessed his words and let them roll around in his head for a few moments. Jinyoung had never been with a man before, had never had anything sans for his own fingers inside of him. He had always been the one to do the fucking, not the other way around. He inhaled a breath and swallowed his pride, nodding slowly and dropping his hands from Jaebeom’s form to rest at his sides. 

Jaebeom pushed himself away from Jinyoung, head cocked to the side to take in his somewhat tense form and he opened his mouth to take back what he had said, but was immediately cut off by Jinyoung.

“Top drawer.”

Jinyoung nodded his head towards the bedside table, eyes darting from Jaebeom to the table and back again. He was not going to back down. It was now or never and he was tired of dancing around each other. He wanted this just as much as he knew Jaebeom wanted it and was not going to let this opportunity slip away, regardless of how terrifying it was to open himself up to the other man like this. He trusted him for some reason and he wasn’t going to let that trust go to waste.

Jaebeom stared at Jinyoung blankly for a long moment, trying to assess his change in demeanor before he followed Jinyoung’s gaze to the bedside table.

“Condoms and lube.”

Jinyoung stated plainly, as if it were the most commonly used phrase in his vocabulary.

Jaebeom couldn’t help but laugh at that, eyes disappearing into crescents as he shook his head and leaned over Jinyoung to pull open the top drawer and pull out a string of foil packets and a bottle of lube. He could feel Jinyoung’s eyes on him, brows furrowed and lips pursed. Jaebeom glanced back at him as he shut the drawer and dropped the items onto the bed next to them, still chuckling to himself.

“I don’t see why that’s so funny to you.”

Jinyoung huffed, crossing his arms over his chest and leaning his back against the headboard.

“Why do you even have this stuff? Aren’t you supposed to like… get them pregnant?”

Jaebeom raised an eyebrow, genuinely curious.

“Ah.”

Jinyoung hadn’t even thought about that. It hadn’t even crossed his mind that someone outside of himself would find it odd that he kept condoms in his room when he was meant to be producing an heir. Jaebeom’s outburst suddenly made sense and he heaved a sigh, arms falling loosely at his sides as he began to explain.

“To be honest, I don’t really want to produce an heir. At least, not right now. I’m only twenty seven for fuck’s sake. Sure, by the time the kid was eighteen I’d be forty five, but that doesn’t mean I want to just give up my throne because some harlot spread her legs for the king eighteen years ago. Who the hell wants to raise a damn kid at my age anyway?”

Jinyoung spat, a scowl riding high on his lips and his eyebrow twitching with irritation.

Jaebeom had to try not to laugh again, though he wondered how the hell Jinyoung had gotten away with it all these years.

“How has no one gotten wind of this yet? Have you been using condoms this whole time?”

“For nine years.”

Jinyoung stated proudly, a smug smirk replacing the former scowl.

“You really…”

Jinyoung shrugged, waving a hand idly.

“I just threatened to not only exile them, but their entire family to the desert if they didn’t keep their mouths shut. I mean, who in their right mind would want to live out there?”

At that, Jaebeom lost his composure, hands resting on his hips as he barreled over with laughter, head shaking and tears prickling at the corners of his eyes.

“You are something else, you know that?”

Jaebeom finally got out once he had regained his composure, shifting to the edge of the bed so that he could kick his shorts off the rest of the way. He turned back to Jinyoung, crossing his legs under himself as he reached out one hand, picking up one of Jinyoung’s and rubbing the back of it lightly with his thumb.

“You can still say no, you know…”

Jaebeom offered, eyes alight with something akin to affection and he studied Jinyoung’s features carefully.

“I don’t want to say no. Not to you.”

Jinyoung admitted, his lips curving into a soft smile as he turned his hand over in Jaebeom’s, linking their fingers together loosely. 

Jaebeom felt his stomach tense, a new feeling washing over him as he took in the way Jinyoung seemed to finally relax in his company after all this time. He had let himself go shortly after Jaebeom entered the room, but it hadn’t been like this. It was somehow much more peaceful than that and he nodded his head, hesitantly pulling his fingers from Jinyoung’s to pick up the bottle of lube. He uncapped it, careful not to spill it onto the bedsheets and he settled himself in between Jinyoung’s now spread thighs. He poured some of it onto his fingers, rubbing them together to warm it and he glanced back up at Jinyoung one more time for confirmation before pushing one thigh up to gain easier access to his hole.

“Just relax, okay? It’s gonna feel a little bit weird.”

Jaebeom guided Jinyoung along, eyes flickering up to meet Jinyoung’s when he heard the soft intake of breath at the first pressure of his index finger against his rim. He gave him a warm smile before letting his gaze fall back to watch what he was doing and he carefully pushed the tip of his finger past the tight ring of muscle. He pressed his lips against the inside of Jinyoung’s thigh, mumbling soft praises into his skin as he sank his finger in to the first knuckle. He eased it in the rest of the way, Jinyoung’s walls clenching around it in response.

“Jinyoung, you have to relax or it’s going to hurt.”

Jaebeom reminded him, stroking the back of his knee with his fingertips gently. He waited for a few moments, until he felt Jinyoung loosen up around the invading digit and he eased it back before pushing it inside again. He repeated the motion a few more times, listening for any sign of discomfort. When he found none, he carefully pressed a second finger beside the first and pushed them in together. He could feel a slight resistance and a soft whimper sounded just above him, his lips pursing as he gazed up at Jinyoung.

“If you can’t take this, there’s no way you can take me…”

Jaebeom stated sadly, hating to end it here, but more than willing to if Jiyoung couldn’t handle it.

“No, it’s okay. Keep going. I just have to get used to it.”

Jinyoung assured him, eyes wide with fear that Jaebeom would stop and leave him alone like this. He held back another whimper when Jaebeom pushed his fingers forward again, this time guiding them inside of him fully and he exhaled through his nose. It wasn’t painful, just slightly uncomfortable being that Jaebeom’s fingers were thicker than his own. He let his head fall back and a harsh moan rushed past his lips when Jaebeom angled his fingers a certain way and the tips brushed against the spot he had found on his own many years ago. He could feel the curl of Jaebeom’s lips against his thigh, smiling into his skin and he shuddered when Jaebeom thrust his fingers harder into that spot a few more times, accompanied by soft kisses and light nips on his thighs.

“Jaebeom.”

Jinyoung breathed, having had enough of his fingers and wanting more. 

Jaebeom looked up at him, eyes following the curve of his cock to the smooth plane of his stomach and up his outstretched neck to meet his gaze.

“Please.”

“Please what, Jinyoung?”

Jaebeom wanted to continue, his own aching cock trapped between his thigh and the bedspread. However, he didn’t want to continue without explicit consent. He needed Jinyoung to tell him what he wanted. That what he wanted was Jaebeom.

“Fuck me, please.”

The bratty part of Jinyoung wanted to be coy, sarcastic even, but the needy, desperate part of him just wanted Jaebeom to get on with it and get inside of him. He whined when Jaebeom pulled his fingers free from him, the familiar sound of lube being squirted from the bottle following the shift in weight on the bed. He let his eyes fall to where Jaebeom was slathering his own cock with lube, making sure it was slick enough to slide in easily and he jerked when Jaebeom dribbled some of it between his cheeks to drop down his crack and onto his twitching hole.

“It’s cold, I know. Sorry.”

Jaebeom gave him a sheepish grin, hands moving to cup the underside of Jinyoung’s knees and he pushed them up to give himself better access. He dropped one hand to wrap around the base of his own cock, lining it up with Jinyoung’s entrance and he carefully eased his hips forward and sank into the waiting heat. He let himself fall to rest on one elbow, hovering just above Jinyoung. The groan he let out was music to Jinyoung’s ears, the heat that surrounded him blissful and almost too much to bear at the same time. Jinyoung was tight, wrapped perfectly around him and he had to fight against the animal instinct to slam the rest of the way home. He pressed deeper into Jinyoung, inching his way inside until he was fully seated. He had been staring at the place where they were connected and only looked up when he heard a soft whoosh of air.

Jinyoung released a breath that he hadn’t realized he had been holding, his bottom feeling full and hot. It was a new sensation, but not unpleasant and he was thankful that Jaebeom had taken his time with him. He had been known to rush things himself when he wasn’t in the mood for pleasantries, merely wanting to fulfill his duties with his “flavors of the week” as Jaebeom liked to call them. He watched with interest at the way Jaebeom’s features contorted from controlled to strained and back again, knowing how difficult it must be for him to hold back. He knew that Jaebeom didn’t want to hurt him and it sent his heart soaring, his hands moving of their own accord to wrap around Jaebeom’s neck and pull him closer. 

Jaebeom’s other hand slipped from Jinyoung’s thigh when he felt himself being pulled down, catching himself just in time to not crush the other male beneath him. He let out a startled noise when Jinyoung’s lips met his own, eyes going wide, but letting himself be dragged along at Jinyoung’s pace. He let Jinyoung control the kiss, his lips being toyed with and bitten, kissed and sucked on before Jinyoung pulled back to smile up at him softly.

“You can move.”

Jaebeom needed no more encouragement, his hips shifting back and pushing forward again, eyes watching with wonder at the way Jinyoung’s features twisted with pleasure. He was amazed at the different expressions he made, often showing little to no emotion in front of others, Jaebeom included. It was almost mystifying really, to see the way that Jinyoung could drop his guard and become a pliant, needy lover rather than a stern, power hungry royal. It made Jaebeom’s skin prickle and his heart swim to elicit such a response from his tyrant king. He picked up his pace after a few more thrusts, swallowing down Jinyoung’s moans as they kissed again, lips and tongues hungry for one another. He broke away to shift onto his knees, one hand moving to grab a pillow. He pushed it under Jinyoung’s hips, angling them up slightly and allowing him to push even deeper inside.

Jinyoung clawed at Jaebeom’s back when he felt the first thrust at the new angle, his voice tearing from his throat in a strangled moan. He could feel the rumble of Jaebeom’s chest against his own as he laughed, amused at how vocal Jinyoung could be. He shifted his legs to wrap them around Jaebeom’s waist, pulling him impossibly closer. His eyes were closed, his head tossed back with Jaebeom’s lips mouthing at his throat as he ground his hips down into Jinyoung’s.

“More..”

Jinyoung demanded, digging his heels into Jaebeom’s sides and eliciting a pained noise from the other male. He was rewarded with a harsh slap on his thigh, a yelp ripped from his lips and he laughed at the way Jaebeom glared up at him, not threatening at all. 

Jaebeom nipped at Jinyoung’s chin, his teeth scraping his skin and he patted Jinyoung’s leg to get him to loosen his grip around him. When he felt the other relax a little, he sat up on his knees, pulling free from Jinyoung’s grasp entirely. Much to Jinyoung’s dismay, Jaebeom smirked down at him and pressed his hands beneath Jinyoung’s knees and pushed his legs to his chest. He could hear the protest bubbling up in Jinyoung’s throat, but quickly leaned over him, silencing him with a kiss as he pushed back inside of him in one fluid motion. 

Jinyoung nearly screamed when Jaebeom sank back inside of him, the head of his cock digging deep inside of him. Jaebeom had pressed into his prostate multiple times in the last position, building up his sensitivity, but nothing compared to the way he drove directly into it at this angle. His eyes rolled back and his mouth fell open, Jaebeom’s tongue invading and eating up each and every noise that threatened to spill forth. He scrambled to cling to Jaebeom’s back, arms wrapping around him as if his life depended on it and he dug his fingers into the taut flesh over his shoulder blades. 

Jaebeom grunted with effort as he pounded into Jinyoung, his legs growing more tired by the minute. He knew Jinyoung was close with the way he was clenching around him, the way his pants and moans were coming quicker and closer together. He nosed at Jinyoung’s neck, teeth catching on the flesh of an earlobe and he tugged on it roughly as he felt the tightly wound coil in his groin begin to loosen, his thrusts becoming erratic and unstable. He tried to hold on, wanting Jinyoung to finish with him and he slid one hand between them to wrap around Jinyoung’s throbbing cock. He stroked Jinyoung roughly, hand jerking wildly up as he tried to keep his hips steady and he groaned when he felt Jinyoung’s body bow against his own. 

The sound he let out was mortifying, Jinyoung wailing as he came between their bodies, ropes of white coating their stomachs and chests. His blunt fingernails were digging into Jaebeom’s back, sure to leave small crescents in their wake. He whined as he came down from his high, the cloudy serenity of it all slowly dissipating into oversensitivity. Jaebeom was still moving, thrusting sloppily into his spent body and he shivered with discomfort when he felt him drive into his prostate one last time with a loud grunt, Jaebeom’s hips stilling as he came seconds later. He could hear how laboured Jaebeom’s breathing was, he could feel the way his muscles tensed and relaxed as he struggled to stay upright and not collapse onto Jinyoung’s own form. He released his grip on Jaebeom, letting his fingers slide along his shoulders and down his arms, finally dropping to his sides on the bed as Jaebeom heaved a sigh against his neck. He cringed as Jaebeom withdrew from him, slightly sensitive and he let out his own sigh as Jaebeom stretched his legs out for him and he settled next to Jinyoung on the bed.

They lie next to one another in silence for a few moments, both unsure of what to say now that it was over. Jaebeom spoke first, clearing his throat and drumming his fingers idly on his stomach.

“I think I’d like to spend more time with you.”

Jinyoung turned his head to look at Jaebeom, a smirk on his lips and he laughed softly at the suddenly uneasy expression on the other’s face.

“Don’t you already spend hours with me every single day?”

Jinyoung teased, raising an eyebrow and snorting at the way Jaebeom flinched and turned to look at him.

“You know what I mean.”

“Yeah, I do.”

Jinyoung responded, staring at Jaebeom for a moment in silence before continuing.

“I think I’d like that, too.”

\------------------

A heavy sigh sounded from the throne as Jinyoung stared out over the court before him, dark orbs wandering from courtesan candidate to courtesan candidate and finding none to his liking. His eyes glazed over as they introduced themselves one by one, completely disinterested in their names or ranks. They were here to be bed by the king, not to be taken seriously by the likes of him. He would never understand why his advisors felt it necessary to bring him what they considered to be the “finest women” in their kingdom and have them spew some nonsense about why they should be preferred over the others. As long as they were pleasing to the eye and obedient he really didn’t care to know where they came from or what their merits were. He had no interest in reproducing with any of the women they brought to him, though it was his “duty” as king to produce an heir. He fully intended to keep the throne as long as he was alive and the kingdom be damned when he passed.

“You know, you could just bed your fiancé instead of bore yourself with all of these women that you’re clearly disinterested in.”

The rough voice of said fiancé pulled Jinyoung out of his daze and he turned his head just enough to glance at Jaebeom out of the corner of his eye. Instead of the signature smirk he had grown so accustomed to, he was greeted with a soft smile and warm eyes. He let his gaze fall to where their fingers were loosely linked together on Jaebeom’s thigh before turning his eyes back to his fiancé’s face.

“You know, that doesn’t sound like such a bad idea.”


End file.
